This story highlights one of the brightest, nearby star-forming regions and the home to the most massive stars in our cosmic neighborhood. With this release, Hubble is celebrating its 22nd anniversary. This selection was written in conjunction with...(View More) the HubbleSite press release: Hubble's Panoramic View of a Turbulent Star-making Region. Star Witness News is a series of articles, written for students, that are inspired by Hubble Space Telescope press releases. Supplemental education materials include background information, vocabulary, and discussion questions and answers.(View Less)

The lithograph features illustrations, statistics and science goals of the James Webb Space Telescope. The accompanying classroom activity prompts students to use the images and text to generate questions about the telescope. Students then research...(View More) those questions on the Internet and present their findings.(View Less)

This news story describes the search for planets orbiting stars other than our sun, particularly since the discovery of a planet around a sun-like star 20 years ago. Star Witness News is a series of articles, written for students, that are inspired...(View More) by Hubble Space Telescope press releases. Supplemental education materials include background information, vocabulary, and discussion questions and answers. Common Core Standards for English Language Arts are also identified.(View Less)

Explore the size relationship between the sun and Earth by using tape and stickers. Learners estimate, then place and count the number of one-inch diameter stickers (representing Earths) that would fit across the diameter of a nine-foot circle of...(View More) tape (representing the sun). The relative size of each becomes visually apparent. Related Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) are listed.(View Less)

Using stickers created from the templates provided, students create a Venn diagram of objects in our solar system, our galaxy and the universe. This short activity can be used as a formative assessment.

Using an online interactive platform, learners will explore our solar system from the perspective of the Sun. They will observe the motion of different worlds to determine their location in the solar system. Then they will launch probes to search...(View More) these small worlds (bodies in the solar system not classified as a planet or a moon) for the caches hidden on them in order to collect the astrocoins inside. A 5E instructional lesson allows students to analyze a model to locate small worlds, define speed/distance relationships, and identify model limitations. Images, worksheets and a rubric are included. Instructional objectives and learning outcomes are aligned with Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS); the NRC Framework for K-12 Science Education; Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts; and A Framework for 21st Century Learning.(View Less)

Students will use educational materials from NASA's Cosmic Times to create their own mash-up (an image, audio or video created by combining two or more sources of media into a new work). This lesson offers the opportunity to use media mash-up...(View More) technology, to acquire knowledge through differentiated instruction, and for students to present their knowledge, ideas and individual perspectives. The lesson includes links to handouts, procedures, and introductory mash-up videos.(View Less)

This online Flash interactive simulates the process of discovering new exoplanets using the transit method. Learners explore a simulated star field, record data, make measurements and do calculations to discover new planets. Instructional videos and...(View More) guides are included.(View Less)

This afterschool curriculum includes six lessons plus supplementary materials (e.g., videos, PowerPoint presentations, and images) that explore how light from the electromagnetic spectrum is used as a tool for learning about the Sun. The curriculum...(View More) is designed to be flexible to meet the needs of afterschool programs and includes recommendations for partial implementation based on time constraints. It was specifically designed to engage girls in science.(View Less)

Students participate in a series of activities to discover how astronomers use computers to create images and understand data. No programming experience is required; students will use pencilcode.net to complete such activities as creating a color,...(View More) exploring filters and color-shifting, and creating individual images of star-forming regions. These activities demonstrate a real world application of science, technology and art.(View Less)